


Of Crows and Crowns

by real_funny_bitch



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Assassination Attempt(s), Assassination Plot(s), Fluff, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Magic, Minor Violence, Multi, Mutual Pining, Political Alliances, Politics, Slow Burn, lots of politics, oh and like some assassination attempts, so much pining, there is a a war?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:01:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28953873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/real_funny_bitch/pseuds/real_funny_bitch
Summary: For centuries, the nine kingdoms have lived in harmony and prosperity. They sit comfortably on top of the world with their gleaming cities and their vast wealth. However, there is much lurking beneath the glimmering cities, the wealth, and the prosperity from those fighting for political power to outside threats. With all of this and more, the nine princes who are coming of age have much on their plates.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou/Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Hanamaki Takahiro/Iwaizumi Hajime/Matsukawa Issei/Oikawa Tooru, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Miya Osamu/Suna Rintarou, Shimizu Kiyoko/Yachi Hitoka, Takeda Ittetsu/Ukai Keishin, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Of Crows and Crowns

**Author's Note:**

> Warning, this was written at 3 am, and I have not really proofread it, so I apologize in advance.

“Nine Kingdoms, One Country”

It was a saying that Prince Shouyou had heard all his life. Over the years, the common saying had become less common and had almost lost its meaning, but it had always meant something to the rulers. It was a saying that cast a long shadow, a warning from those that came before them. It was just as important a saying to the royals as their own house mottos.

“We are the Blood of this Empire”

The feline prince looked off a high balcony at the sprawling cityscape of Nekoma. Others called it boring, said it was too urban compared to the diverse and rich wild areas in other kingdoms. All of Nekoma, like Karasuno, was just one big city, while it was a very green city, it was still a city. However, the prince swears that over the years it begins to grow on you. 

“Focus and Prosper”

The dark haired prince looked out of the windows of the Snow Palace at the large capital city of Fukurodani, a city that was constantly covered in snow and only saved from being constantly bombarded by frigid winds by the two large peaks of the mountain they called home that stood high on either side. Some say that you could see all of the country from the Snow Palace, and every once in a while the prince was inclined to believe them.

“Iron Will”

Unlike other kingdoms where the palace was considered to be the seat of power, the people of Date often looked to the giant iron wall that separated them and the rest of the country from the outside world as their seat of power. This is why the blond prince of Date spent a lot of his time up on the tall wall, looking over at the plains of the neighboring country. He had to say that the only view of the outside world was quite stunning.

“Rule The Forest”

The Oak Palace, the home of the brunette prince of Aoba Johsai was not made out of wood, contrary to what many people outside of the capital think, but it was actually made of stone from the mountains in the northern part of the country and got its name from the large oak trees that surrounded it on the palace grounds. However, as he looked from the back of his horse out at the sprawling forests he called home, while it may not be made of oak, he had to say that it had a pretty good view.

“From strength blooms security”

The dark-haired prince of Shiritorizawa had never spent much time in the golden palace, preferring the comfort and routineness of the sprawling fields that fed half the country. He couldn’t be bombarded with politics out in the fields. He stood up and wiped the sweat off his brow as he looked out over the golden fields, this was it. 

“Who we were yesterday is not who we are today”

The grey haired prince sat on the back of a cart that was being pulled between the fields of Inarizaki, the fields that fed the other half of the country. The sun wasn’t even fully over the horizon when the prince was jumping out, ready for a long day in the fields. Wealthy or poor, royal or peasant, during the harvest, everyone was in the fields, doing their part. As the prince looked at the sun that was slowly coming up and casting a faint golden hue over the fields, he began to dread the long days less and less.

“Steadfast and loyal”

The curly-haired prince of Itachiyama walked through the busy market, flanked by disguised royal guards. Itachiyama was one of three kingdoms that had a viable coastal area, and because of that, it had become one of the major cultural centers with people from around the world docking and trading at their ports. Because of this, Itachiyama got to boast having the single largest marketplace of all the kingdoms. Despite his general dislike of crowds, the prince couldn’t help but be a bit prideful as he watched all the people milling about.

“Resilience will lead to certain victory”

Kamomedai got to boast having the largest coastal area of any of the other kingdoms. While having quite large markets and being one of the major trading centers of the world, they were no match for Itachiyama. However, they were the center of the nine kingdom’s navy, having one of the largest navies in the world. As the white haired prince looked off his ship and out at the expansive ocean, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Fight. Bleed. Fly”

The beloved saying of the ruling house of Karasuno, the seat of political and military power in the country. The orange-haired prince had to say that the Crystal Palace had the best positioning of all the palaces, up on a hill where it could overlook the expansive city, but also looked over the ocean of the coast of Karasuno. It had, arguably, the most beautiful view.

“Nine Kingdoms, One Country”

They were nine kingdoms, all with their own peoples, cultures, lifestyles, and rulers, but they were one country all under a single high monarch. They couldn’t afford to be separated and pulled apart. The last time the nine kingdoms became disjointed and separated, their people had been enslaved, their lands had burned, and their kingdoms had fallen to outsiders. Together, they were strong and indomitable, and apart they had become nothing.

The only way for the nine kingdoms to fall is for them to truly become nine kingdoms.

“Prince Shouyou, are you ready?” 

Shouyou looked away from the view of the ocean from his balcony and looked back at Hitoka Yachi, who was dressed in a simple orange silk dress with a leather belt around her waist, some silver jewelry, a silver pendant with a crow on it hanging around her neck, and her hair held up with a reddish-orange ribbon.

“Yes, of course,” Shouyou said as he stepped into his room, dressed in one of his nicer black silk shirts, black pants, black heeled boots, silver jewelry of his own, and a silver circlet around his head. “Sorry, I got a bit distracted.”

“Don’t worry, after all these years I’m used to it,” Yachi said as she held out a fine embroidered orange shawl for Shouyou to take which he gladly took and wrapped around his shoulders. “But we should get going, the small court has gathered and I hear there is some discontentment about your mother’s most recent policy decision.”

“Oh, there’s always discontentment with something or other,” Shouyou said with a sigh as he and Yachi stepped out of his room and into his private wing. 

As Shouyou and Yachi made their way to the private chamber, the prince could already feel a stress headache coming on. He could tell that it was just going to be one of those days that made him want to pull his hair out, scream at someone, and leave the throne to his younger sister, Natsu. 

Today was going to be fun.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading my fever dream of a fic. This was just kind of like a prologue and I don't know how much I like this, but if it ends up growing on me, I will probably post the next part in a few days. I am also still writing, so if you have any ideas, comments, or questions feel free to leave them, I do read and respond to most comments. 
> 
> Thank you so much!


End file.
